Bombers fall to PACT in 5A

Before the May 23 playoff game, Braham Coach Aitor Leniz met with PACT Coach Josh Coleman at home plate. Coleman played for Coach Leniz on the Bomber squad in his younger days.

Braham bats were limited to four hits by PACT starter Kevin Breimhurst when the Panthers ended the Bombers’ season with a 10-0 five-inning win in the Section 5A opener May 23.

Braham starter Richard Hanson threw a nice 1-2-3 first, ending it with a slider for a called strike three. But in the second, PACT’s Drew Johnson ripped a double to right. A couple Braham mental errors and two singles turned into a 4-0 lead.

The Bombers’ best threat came in the third when Jacob Ambrose and Sonny Foote hit one-out singles. Chris Pinataro lined a shot to center which turned into an inning-ending double play.

PACT tacked on one run in the bottom of the fourth, and Breimhurst set the Bombers down in order in the fifth. The Panthers put it away in the bottom of the inning when Luke Johnson ripped a 3-RBI double, and D. Johnson finished things with a walk-off two-run single to right.

• The No. 4 seed Panthers kept rolling May 27 at Pierz when they topped 5A East No. 1 seed Hinckley-Finlayson 2-0. PACT (7-9) next faces Legacy Christian (8-8) in the 5A semis May 28 back at Pierz.

Sophomore Sonny Foote had two of the Bomber hits against tough Kevin Breimhurst of PACT in the May 23 playoff opener at beautiful new Castle Field in Anoka. Photos by Greg Hunt

In the West half of the brackets, No. 5 Upsala-Swanville defeated No. 1 seed Browerville 3-2 in the quarters. U-S faces No. 7 Royalton in the other semis.